"Unearthing the Oldest Bead in the Americas: A Remarkable Archaeological Find"
University of Wyoming archaeology Professor Todd Surovell and his research team have discovered a tube-shaped bead made of bone that is about 12,940 years old at Wyoming's La Prele Mammoth site, making it the oldest known bead in the Americas. The bead, published in Scientific Reports, was made from a hare bone and represents the first secure evidence for the use of hares during the Clovis period, a prehistoric era in North America. This finding sheds light on the early adornment practices of ancient inhabitants and provides insights into their cultural behaviors.